BOEHMITE PROCESS: AN ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGY IN ALUMINA PRODUCTION

摘要

Boehmite process is an innovative variation of the current Bayer process for the production of smelter grade alumina. The claimed innovation of this process concerns the precipitation and calcinations stages. In the former stage, crystalline boehmite is precipitated from the Bayer liquors under atmospheric conditions. In the latter stage, the crystalline boehmite is calcined to produce smelter grade alumina. This paper aims to describe the boehmite process in detail. The main parameters affecting the efficiency of boehmite precipitation process and the particle size distribution of produced solids will be presented and discussed. Moreover, the boehmite calcinations process will be presented giving emphasis to the quality of produced alumina. On the whole, the two alternatives, the current Bayer process and the boehmite process, will compared and the advantages arising by the application of the new process will be discussed.